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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffTo reduce your risk of endometrial cancer, you may wish to:
- Talk to your doctor about the risks of hormone therapy after menopause. If you're considering hormone replacement therapy to help control menopause symptoms, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits. Unless you've undergone a hysterectomy, replacing estrogen alone after menopause may increase your risk of endometrial cancer. Taking a combination of estrogen and progestin can reduce this risk. Hormone therapy carries other risks, such as a possible increase in the risk of breast cancer, so weigh the benefits and risks with your doctor.
- Consider taking birth control pills. Using oral contraceptives for at least one year may reduce endometrial cancer risk. The risk reduction is thought to last for several years after you stop taking oral contraceptives. Oral contraceptives have side effects, though, so discuss the benefits and risks with your doctor.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity increases the risk of endometrial cancer, so work to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. If you need to lose weight, increase your physical activity and reduce the number of calories you eat each day.
- Exercise most days of the week. Work physical activity into your daily routine. Try to exercise 30 minutes most days of the week. If you can exercise more, that's even better.
References
- Park CK, et al. Cancer of the endometrium. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1793.
- Lu K, et al. Neoplastic diseases of the uterus: Endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial carcinoma, sarcoma: Diagnosis and Management. In: Katz VL, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/202781245-2/0/1524/0.html. Accessed Oct. 19, 2010.
- Uterine neoplasms. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/uterine.pdf. Accessed Oct. 19, 2010.
- What you need to know about cancer of the uterus. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/uterus/allpages. Accessed Oct. 19, 2010.
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